Gang of children who ‘laughed and joked’ during murder trial are named by judge after conviction

A gang of children who ‘laughed and joked’ during their trial for the murder of a rival have been named by a judge after their conviction.

Keyfer Dykstra, 14, Joseph McGill, 14, along with cousins Andrew, 15, and Corey Hewitt, 14, were among a group that carried out a ‘vicious and brutal’ stabbing of Sean ‘Shorty’ McHugh in Liverpool.

City crown court recorder Clement Goldstone QC decided to name the gang after a jury found them and Reese O’Shaughnessy, 18, guilty of murder yesterday. A sixth boy was acquitted.

‘It is in the public interest they be named,’ the judge said.

The Laneheads gang: (left to right) Andrew Hewitt, Corey Hewitt, Joseph McGill, Reese O’Shaughnessy and Keyfer Dykstra were all convicted of the murder of rival Sean ‘Shorty’ Hughes. Prosecutors could not say who struck the fatal blow but argued all those involved shared the blame for the 19-year-old’s death (Pictures: Enterprise News And Pictures)

The Laneheads gang: (left to right) Andrew Hewitt, Corey Hewitt, Joseph McGill, Reese O’Shaughnessy and Keyfer Dykstra were all convicted of the murder of rival Sean ‘Shorty’ Hughes. Prosecutors could not say who struck the fatal blow but argued all those involved shared the blame for the 19-year-old’s death

Det Ch Insp Andy O’Connor from Merseyside police said: ‘Since the attack, none of the five have shown any remorse for what they did to Sean. They even laughed and joked in the dock at court.

‘They have shown no thought, or consideration, for Sean’s family and girlfriend, who are now left to grieve and to piece their lives together without him.

‘The suffering Sean endured before his death and the pain and heartbreak inflicted on his family can never be taken back.’

Chased down: Sean ‘Shorty’ McHugh, who was a member of the Village Rats<br />(Picture: Enterprise News And Pictures)

A jury was told the victim, 19, fled into a launderette after he was chased by the gang, who referred to themselves as the Laneheads from the Townsend Lane area of Anfield.

O’Shaughnessy, who was carrying a sword stick, and Dykstra, who had a knife, soon arrived and the gang kicked the shop’s back door open.

Mr McHugh, a member of the Village Rats based in the city’s Walton Village, was stabbed in the leg, severing an artery, before he escaped into the back yard of a house.

He was found by a policeman with a gaping wound in his leg and died in hospital four days after the attack on September 30 last year.

Prosecutors failed to establish who struck the fatal blow but argued all those involved, two of whom were 13 at the time, were guilty of murder whether they held the blade or not.

Rachael Barber, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Most of the gang were children at the time.

‘But were willing to use deadly weapons and acted together to attack Mr McHugh, which ultimately resulted in his death.’ Sentencing was adjourned for reports until July 2.